Letters to the Editor: January 10, 2017

What If and Way to Go!

Back to Nature

Driving home into Sonoma County along Highway 12 recently, I was distracted by the brightly lit sign of a cross on a well-recognized hillside. Could this be a new version of the cross that had been visible from walks around Spring Lake for so many years? The same cross that had been debated by the community, then left to recede naturally into the landscape after its creator was denied access in 2012? I thought this matter had been put to rest.

The controversy over this cross has been around for 35 years. In a 2015 Press Democrat article, Chris Smith addressed the dispute saying, "The only opinions that matter are those of the couple who own the property on which the cross resides." The owners of the property wanted trespassing to stop, and urged neighbors to contact the police.

Owner Suzanne Merner is quoted as saying, "It's really time the hillside return to the state it was in." She appealed to everyone to end the clash that was worsening the scarring of the land. "It's become an eyesore."

That was before the cross became electrified. Does anyone know if this cross is even legal? Is the property zoned commercial? This is not a yard ornament; it's as big as an advertising sign.

I agree with the property owner. Let's allow this piece of land to return to its natural state.

—Janyce Bodeson

Santa Rosa

Animal-Free

It seems as though most folks aren't concerned whether or not animals are used in the products they consume. What they may not realize is the huge potential here to lessen the impacts on our environment, the animals and our health. I simply suggest that we should be aware of our food sources, and to consider our own ideals in the process. It can be as easy as choosing dark chocolate over milk, or buying potato chips without milk powder. Have you tried the awesome nut milks or nondairy cheeses? We don't need a cow to make these products great.

—Ray Cooper

Petaluma

What If?

I wonder what the NRA's response would be to a mass joining by members of the Antifa movement or Communist Party? At the very least, it would be fascinating to watch these Second Amendment obsessives trying to keep such an event from happening.

—Thomas Richman

South Brisbane, Australia

Way to Go!

I want to thank the Trump administration for finally deciding that it is time to enforce this country's laws against the sale and use of cannabis. Until now, our country has been losing the drug war and it is time to finally win. In fact, we are losing so badly that the cannabis industry employs hundreds of thousands of Californians with quality jobs and is poised to raise over a billion dollars for our state. But, with concerted and immediate efforts, we will finally be able to take the moral high ground and imprison hundreds of thousands of Californians, for not "a" billion dollars but for "many" billions of dollars.